Is Your Potential Listing Agent Using the Best Tools Available?

The question a home sellers you should ask any perspective agent before signing the listing.  Are you using the best tools available to market my home and to protect me and are you a professional?

Here are few areas a home seller should be concerned with that are commonly overlooked.

Protection

·         Are you using an electronic lockbox or a $30 box from the hardware store?

o   Do you have the ability to track who entered my home and when?

o   Do you know who may have codes to enter my home?

o   Are you using the best available box / technology for our market?

·         How are you storing documents and keeping my records?

o   Do you keep digital files and hard copies?  How are they stored and secured?

Marketing

·         What kind of internet presence will my home have?

o   Will it have a website and/or virtual tour or video tour?

o   What websites will it be syndicated to?

o   How many photos will you be taking?

·         What type of signage will we have?

·         Will you be holding open houses?  Is so, how many?

·         Do you utilize local print advertising and if so, where?

·         How do you market to other agents in the area?

I see many listing agents falling short of what a seller should expect to be successful in selling their home on the above two categories.  In my area we have the state of the art electronic lock boxes, yet a majority of the agents insist on going to the hardware store and licking up a cheap box, that after a period of time they have no way of knowing who has codes for the home and who entered the home.

I also cross paths with many agent who have no system for keeping their files complete and secure.

Marketing is an area you will find a giant difference between agents.  I regularly see listings that have been hanging around forever and yet they do not even have so much as a single photo published anywhere.   An agent who contracts for thousands of dollars to market someone’s home and does not even do the bare minimum, should be ashamed of themselves and fired.  Their lack of action will cost the seller potential buyers, which means more time on the market and potentially selling for less money.

Marketing is an area you will find a giant difference between agents.  I regularly see listings that have been hanging around forever and yet they do not even have so much as a single photo published anywhere.   An agent who contracts for thousands of dollars to market someone’s home and does not even do the bare minimum, should be ashamed of themselves and fired.  Their lack of action will cost the seller potential buyers, which means more time on the market and potentially selling for less money.

There are many other questions to should ask a potential agent.  The bottom line is you want to know if they are a professional and if they will do what it takes to make you successful in selling your home and protecting your interests.

One of the services, I provide to consumers is pre-screening potential real estate agents in other areas.

Do not take the decision to select and agent to buy or sell your home lightly.  For most people your home is or will be the most expensive thing you own.  You want a real estate agent who treats it as such.